


Til Death Do Us Part

by Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat



Category: Smile For Me (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Angst, Ghosts, Kinda, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Murder, Parsley dies but he's fine, all the characters are there I just tagged the most important ones, this au does have a plot actually but I doubt I'll ever post it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27457639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat/pseuds/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat
Summary: “I’m here!” Jimothan called. He was racing towards the crowd, looking around hurriedly and slightly panicked. “Where’s Parsley? He’s alright, isn’t he, Dallas?”Dallas’s blood ran cold. “I thought he was with you!” He said, his voice slipping into a higher register. “I figured he’d gone to your place after working so long in the office!”“I haven’t heard from him since yesterday!” Jimothan said.Mirphy stepped forward to put a hand on Dallas’s shoulder. “Parsley never came home?” She asked, her voice only shaking a little. Dallas nodded. Mirphy squeezed his shoulder tightly before turning to the crowd. “Alright, we need to split up and look for Parsley. Does anyone know where he last was?”“Either at his office, or on his way home,” Dallas said.“I didn't see him on my way here, but I didn’t look too hard,” Jimothan added. He looked shell shocked.“We’ll find him,” Mirphy said to both of them. “We will.”
Relationships: Kamal Bora/Dr. Boris Habit, Mirphy Fotoparat & Dallas Smuth, Mirphy Fotoparat/Tiff Webber, Parsley Botch/Dallas Smuth
Kudos: 8





	Til Death Do Us Part

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a small part of a monster au I made a while back! It does have an actual plot, and I even mention parts of it in this fic, but this is just a small side thing. I highly doubt I'm ever going to post a whole fic for the monster au, but maybe someday... also, this is basically the scrappy doo found dead in Miami meme, but way sadder and gayer asdofisadfn

Everyone in town knew Dallas and Parsley.

Well, really, everyone in town knew everyone else, but people especially knew the two of them. They were the sappiest, most public couple in the whole town. They would always hold hands while they walked around town, exchange kisses any chance they got, and lean against each other at the bar. Almost everyone thought they were awfully cute, and the ones who didn’t were the children who were still disgusted by anything romantic. People would ask when the wedding was, and they’d both laugh awkwardly and wave the question away.

Until one day, while Mirphy was teasing Dallas, he gave an actual answer.

“I was gonna ask for Jimothan’s blessing tonight,” he mumbled, looking away from Mirphy. 

“What?!?” Mirphy shrieked. “You’re serious?” Dallas nodded, still not able to look at her. “Dallas! That’s great! I’m so happy for you!” She pulled him into a hug, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her as well.

“I’m really nervous,” he whispered. “I’m pretty sure Jim will say yes, but… I know he didn’t like me too much when Parsley and I first got together. And… and Parsley still might say no…”

“Dallas, you’re being ridiculous. Jimothan loves you guys, he’s always talking about how happy he is that you make Parsley happy,” Mirphy assured. “And you know Parsley’s going to say yes. He’s madly in love with you, just like you are with him. It’s gonna be fine, Dallas! You guys are gonna be great!”

Dallas smiled and squeezed Mirphy gently. “Thank you,” he whispered. “You’re definitely gonna be my best ‘man’.”

“I can’t wait,” Mirphy said quietly.

Much later that night, Dallas stepped into Jimothan’s bar. Jimothan looked up in surprise. “Just had last call, son,” he said. “I think you should head home. Parsley’s probably waiting on ya.”

“I told him I’d be out late tonight,” Dallas replied. “I think he said he would be too, something about work.” Jimothan hummed and nodded. “And, uh… I needed to talk to you.”

“Oh? What’s on your mind, son?” Jimothan asked. He came out from behind the bar and sat on a barstool. 

Dallas slipped into place next to him. “So… Parsley and I are… we’re pretty close.” Jimothan chuckled and nodded. “And, uh… I know that, since we’re both human, our time is… limited. And I want… I want to ask him to be by my side forever. So… I guess I’m… asking for your blessing. To marry him, and all.”

Jimothan was silent for a few moments, and Dallas was too afraid to look up from the bar. He was about to say something else when Jimothan put an arm around his shoulders and squeezed tightly. “You make my boy happy,” he said, “happier than I’ve seen him in a long time. Maybe ever. You two can do whatever ya want, as long as ya keep each other happy.” Dallas looked up and saw Jimothan had a few tears in his eyes. “And I’d be happy as hell to call you my son-in-law.”

“Thank you,” Dallas said. He leaned over to hug Jimothan tightly, and Jimothan hugged back. “I promise I’ll do right by him.”

“You already do.”

Dallas walked home from the bar with a spring in his step. He knew Parsley would be exhausted when he got home (if he wasn’t home already), so not tonight, but tomorrow, first thing in the morning, Dallas was going to propose. When he got to their house, he had to unlock the door, so he knew that Parsley was still at work. It was around midnight, but Dallas wasn’t too worried. On occasion, Parsley would get so wrapped up in his work that he would even sleep at his office, but he’d promised Dallas he wouldn’t do that anymore. Dallas figured he’d be home at two at the very latest. He decided to sit up and wait for him.

He was awoken four hours later by a loud shriek. Louder than a human could make. A banshee shriek. 

He was on his feet in a second, and raced for the bedroom. He prayed that Parsley had left him undisturbed and gone to bed on his own, but he wasn’t there. Dallas searched the house and came up empty handed. He rushed out into the town square, where a crowd was forming. Everyone was murmuring and holding on tightly to the people dear to them. Mirphy was standing in the middle, holding Tiff’s shoulders tightly. Tiff had a handkerchief pressed to her ears, and Dallas realized she was bleeding slightly. Sleeping next to a banshee when she shrieks likely didn’t end well.

“Is anyone not here?” Mirphy shouted over the murmuring. “Can we do a headcount?”

“All the kids are accounted for,” said Gillis. He was one of the few of them who had the sense to bring a lantern. Trevor, Millie, Tim Tam, and Gerry were clinging to his legs. They may have put on a brave front, but everyone knew the dangers of a banshee’s shriek.

“Lulia and I are fine,” Jerafina said. She seemed strangely sober.

“Marv’s not here, but he was visiting family in the next pier over,” Borbra piped up. “Questionette, Wallus, and I are all here too.” 

“I’m accounted for,” Ronbo said.

“Nat and I are alright,” Trencil said. Nat was clinging to his legs, and it was the closest Dallas had seen her get to her dad. Trencil seemed to be looking around the crowd anxiously and something occurred to Dallas.

“Where’s Jimothan?” He asked. Jimothan lived the furthest out of town (aside from the castle out in the woods, or the mansion to the East). His house was close to Parsley’s office. Parsley had to be with him, he had to be.

“I’m here!” Jimothan called. He was racing towards the crowd, looking around hurriedly and slightly panicked. “Where’s Parsley? He’s alright, isn’t he, Dallas?”

Dallas’s blood ran cold. “I thought he was with you!” He said, his voice slipping into a higher register. “I figured he’d gone to your place after working so long in the office!”

“I haven’t heard from him since yesterday!” Jimothan said.

Mirphy stepped forward to put a hand on Dallas’s shoulder. “Parsley never came home?” She asked, her voice only shaking a little. Dallas nodded. Mirphy squeezed his shoulder tightly before turning to the crowd. “Alright, we need to split up and look for Parsley. Does anyone know where he last was?”

“Either at his office, or on his way home,” Dallas said.

“I didn't see him on my way here, but I didn’t look too hard,” Jimothan added. He looked shell shocked. 

“We’ll find him,” Mirphy said to both of them. “We will.”

They split into groups, no one traveling alone. Gillis and Wallus went into the woods in the direction of the castle. They were going to search there and ask at the castle if they didn’t find anything. Jerafina went to check the bay, and Lulia went with to look at the beach. Ronbo and Trencil stayed behind to look after all the kids. Jimothan, Questionette, and Borbra went towards the north side of town, while Dallas, Mirphy, and Tiff went off to the south side of town, specifically Parsley’s office.

“He’s got to be here,” Dallas mumbled as he wrestled with the doorknob. “He just fell asleep at his desk, that’s all. He’s here, he’s got to be.”

“Dallas, I think it’s locked,” Tiff said gently. She put a hand on his shoulder and he took a deep breath. 

Dallas really didn’t want to snap at Tiff. It was unlike him, and she was a really sweet girl who was only trying to help. “How are we supposed to get in, then?” He asked. 

“There’s windows,” Mirphy said. Before Tiff or Dallas could ask what she meant, she picked up a rock off the side of the road and threw it into one of the larger windows. Tiff and Dallas both yelped when she did, but Mirphy just looked determined. “It’s not a big hole, but I think I’ll fit.” She shrugged off her cloak and laid it over the bottom of the hole, before carefully climbing in. The jagged edges of the glass at the top caught her sweater, but she managed to get through with only a few rips and no scratches. “I’ll be back soon,” she said, before disappearing further into the building.

Tiff took Dallas’s hand and squeezed it tightly. Dallas looked at her curiously, silently asking what was wrong. “If… if something really is in there… she could get hurt,” Tiff whispered.

Dallas wanted to scream. Instead, he whispered, “there’s nothing in there. There can’t be. She’ll be fine.” Tiff nodded, but she squeezed his hand again.

After a long few minutes, the door opened and Mirphy stepped out. “Nothing,” she said. “It was a mess, but I’ve been in there before and it’s always a mess. It wasn’t any more so than usual.”

“He’s not in there?” Dallas asked.

“No. I didn’t see any trace of him either. It looks like he left and locked up for the night.” Mirphy quickly grabbed her cloak and took off down an alley. “We have to find him. It can’t be too late.”

The three of them searched every nook and cranny of their little town that they could find. No luck. After a while they returned to the town square. A few of the other groups were crowding around to discuss what they’d found. The beach had turned up empty, and so had any of the waters nearby. Jerafina said the current wasn’t strong and that it was unlikely Parsley could’ve drifted out far. Jimothan had had to go to Trencil and be comforted, but Borbra and Questionette arrived shortly after and said they couldn’t find anything. All that was left to do was wait for Gillis and Wallus to get back from the forest.

Just as the first bits of dawn were starting to leak into the sky, a short man came running into the town square. “Which of you two are Jimothan Botch and Dallas Smuth?” He asked. Dallas and Jimothan shared a glance, before stepping forward. Neither of them said anything, and the short man bit his lip. “I’m… I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “Gillis and Wallus sent me ahead to… to tell you what we knew. They should be here soon.”

“What happened?” Dallas asked.

“They came to me, asking for help,” the man said. “I’ve had business dealings with Wallus before, so he and I are familiar with each other. I trusted them enough to go searching with them. Together, the three of us combed as much of the forest as we could. We…” the man swallowed, “we found him, Parsley, that is, face down in the lake. He… he is no longer with us.”

The man continued to speak, but Dallas couldn’t hear any of it. His hearing felt muted, his vision became blurred, nothing seemed real. He faintly heard Jimothan screaming, he heard the people around them talking loudly. He felt hands, all over his shoulders and upper back. He saw Wallus and Gillis enter the square, and he saw that Gillis was holding a body. He registered that the body used to be Parsley (it couldn’t be, it couldn’t really be him), and he carefully held his arms out to Gillis. Gillis seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he passed the body to Dallas.

Dallas knelt on his knees and looked the body over. It looked just like Parsley (it wasn’t him, it couldn’t be), and it looked so peaceful. He knew that the three men hadn’t found it that way, that they must have tried to change it enough to try and comfort Dallas and Jimothan and everyone else, but that didn’t help. Dallas felt the cold, wet body in his arms, and he brushed away the wet hair that had fallen in its face. There wasn’t any blood, it must have been washed away. Because there had to have been blood.

Because there were several bullet holes in the body’s chest.

Dallas didn’t remember a lot of what happened after that. He remembered that Trencil took the body somewhere. He remembered an arm around his shoulders, guiding him back to a house that wasn’t his. He remembered being guided to a bed that wasn’t his and being asked to lie down. He wasn’t thinking well enough to worry about what that could have meant, so he obeyed. Luckily, it was Mirphy who crawled into bed next to him. She held him gently and whispered quietly to him. He couldn’t tell what she was saying, but it felt nice all the same. He drifted off in her arms, silently praying for it to all be a bad dream.

The next morning, everyone gathered in town square again. It wasn’t a cheerful gathering. The man from the castle, who Dallas learned was named Kamal, was still there. He seemed to be looking over everyone’s shoulder at the body, and the look in his eyes made Dallas on edge. Still, he patted Dallas’s arm and said some kind words. 

They didn’t have a coffin, or a casket, or anything similar. Dallas knew that that meant the body would be buried in anything they could find that it would fit in. But for now, it was lying on the cobblestones, almost as if it had fallen asleep on the ground after a long night at the office.

People said kind words. Both about Parsley and to Dallas. Dallas just nodded to anyone who spoke to him. Eventually, though, all eyes turned to him, and he realized they expected him to say something. He carefully stepped through the crowd, towards the body. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out the engagement ring he’d bought. He knelt and slipped it onto the body’s finger. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner,” he whispered. “I just wish you could have said yes.” He kissed it’s cold forehead, stood, and rushed into Mirphy’s arms. He finally began to cry as she held him.

* * *

Two weeks passed with relative silence throughout the town. Dallas didn’t leave the house much, but Mirphy came over and caught him up about everything that was going on. Which… wasn’t much. The bar was closed, and had been for a while. Trencil’s flower shop as well. The children who used to run around in the streets were pulled inside and kept there. They didn’t seem to mind. When Dallas asked why, Mirphy bit her lip.

“I don’t know if you noticed,” she said, “or, if you did, if you remember, but… there were bullet wounds. And… no one in town owns a gun. We all hunt together, with our claws and teeth, remember?”

Dallas felt like he was going to be sick.

Two weeks passed with nightly visits from Mirphy. Two weeks passed, uneventful and quiet. Two weeks passed, and Dallas did his best to pull himself together.

On the last night of the second week without Parsley, Dallas was woken in the night by a door opening. He was sitting up in bed immediately. Ever since Mirphy had passed on the news about the bullet wounds, he’d taken to sleeping with a knife on his nightstand. He grabbed it tightly, and carefully got out of bed. He heard shuffling downstairs, the sound of someone going through the cabinets. He went down the stairs as quietly as possible, and peeked around the corner. He couldn’t make out who the person was in the darkness, but he knew they weren’t welcome in his home. He wasn’t sure what the next step was though. Should he just run up and start attacking? The moment he used to ponder this, however, was the moment that the other person turned around and saw him.

“Dallas? What are you doing? Why are you holding a knife? It’s only me.”

Dallas almost fainted, but stayed strong. “I don’t know who you are, but you’d better stop that right now. It isn’t funny.”

“Dallas, what on earth are you talking about? I told you I’d be home late tonight.” The person moved, and Dallas felt too frightened to stop them. They carefully lit the lamp in the kitchen, and smiled when the room was lit up better. “There we go! See, darling? There’s nothing to worry about! It’s just me!”

Standing, in the middle of the kitchen, like nothing had happened at all, was Parsley.

Dallas was shell shocked for a moment, before he stepped forward and set the knife down on the kitchen table. “But… I…” He stumbled over his words for another few moments, before Parsley gently took his hand. Dallas shivered. His skin was so cold…

“What’s wrong, darling?” Parsley asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Dallas didn’t know a lot about ghosts. The young werewolf kid had rambled about them to him one day, and he did his best to listen, because he didn’t want the kid to feel like he was being ignored. What Dallas did know, was that ghosts often appeared when their death was violent or sudden, or when they had unfinished business. 

And Parsley fit the bill.

“You’re here,” Dallas mumbled. He wasn’t sure what else to say. “You’re really here…”

“Where else would I be?” Parsley asked. “I wouldn’t go to dad’s house when I promised to be home. I know it’s late, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you, honestly.”

“Just… come to bed,” Dallas whispered. “I can’t deal with this tonight. Just come to bed.”

Parsley nodded, although he looked sad. “I’m sorry I made you upset,” he said quietly. “We can talk about it in the morning.” He stood on his toes to kiss Dallas’s forehead. He was absolutely freezing. “I imagine you’re just as tired as I am.”

Dallas nodded and let Parsley lead him up the stairs. Parsley didn’t seem to bother with changing, he simply slid into bed and held his arms open for Dallas. Dallas slotted himself up against Parsley’s chest and held on tightly. Parsley was freezing all over. Dallas didn’t care.

When Dallas woke up the next morning, Parsley was still there. And the morning after that. And the morning after that too. Parsley didn’t seem to be disappearing, and he didn’t seem to be too different either. He hugged his dad tightly when they reunited, although he certainly seemed confused about why Jimothan was crying so much. The majority of the town seemed to welcome Parsley back as though there was nothing wrong. They all seemed pleasantly surprised, but not shocked to their core. Dallas supposed that monsters were used to things like this.

Dallas got his hands on books about ghosts as quickly as he could. He poured over them, looking for any details about why Parsley was here, how long he would stay, and whether or not going would be painful for him. It seemed that ghosts varied quite a lot. Some of them moved on quickly, some of them stayed for years, and some of them, seemingly, never left. Dallas didn’t know which Parsley would be, but he vowed to spend whatever time he had with Parsley as best as he could.

Parsley didn’t complain when Dallas began to cling to him. He just chuckled and clung back. He would welcome kisses, and return them easily. He didn’t mind being pulled into hugs or cuddling twice as much as they used to. He relished the nights where Dallas made it his job to make Parsley feel as good as he possibly could. What he didn’t understand, however, was why Dallas would occasionally cry in moments like this.

“Why are you crying?” He’d ask when Dallas broke into sobs while they were curled up in bed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Of course not,” Dallas would reply between sobs. “You’re perfect.”

“Then why are you crying?” Parsley would ask. Dallas never gave him a straight answer. Parsley tried to push, but he never got an answer he was satisfied with. It just seemed that Dallas would cry now, and all Parsley could hope to do was comfort him as best as he could.

It was six months after Parsley’s body had been found in the lake when something of notice happened.

Well, that wasn’t quite true. A few things of note had happened. A siren had moved into town, and had begun working for Kamal. About two months after that, Kamal emerged from the castle with a man no one had seen before at his side. The man was unnaturally tall, and had stitches all over his body. He wobbled slightly when he walked, but he was kind and friendly, and Trencil seemed to know a bit about him, so the town welcomed Boris Habit with open arms.

But aside from the new residents, nothing happened until six months after Parsley’s death.

Parsley and Dallas were spending the night at Jimothan’s bar, at a secluded table, and sharing a few drinks. Dallas had become used to Parsley’s cold touch, so the hand against his thigh was still welcome. He rest his head against Parsley’s shoulder, and was just about to start laying kisses against his neck, when the door to the bar burst open.

“What’s a girl gotta do to get a drink around here?” A woman barked out as she stepped inside. The bar went silent and everyone turned to look at her. None of them had ever seen her before, but, unlike Boris and Randy, no one seemed to get a good feeling about her. She just grinned at them all and sauntered over to the bar. Slowly, everyone went back to their conversations.

Dallas turned back to Parsley, and was ready to continue where they’d left off, but Parsley looked like he was in a daze. “Parsley? Are you alright?”

Parsley's eyes snapped back into focus and he turned to Dallas. “Yeah… yeah, I’m okay,” he said. “I just… I feel like I’ve seen that woman before…”

Dallas turned to look at her a bit closer. From a distance, he couldn’t make out much about her. She was tall and blond, and she seemed very interested in talking to Jimothan (who looked very interested in getting as far away from her as possible). What really caught Dallas’s eyes though was the pistol on her belt.

Dallas was out of his chair and across the bar in seconds, only just barely hearing Parsley calling after him. He slammed his hand down on the bar next to the woman, and she jumped. “Can I ask what your name is?” Dallas said.

The woman looked him up and down, before she replied. “Martha,” she replied. “And you are…?”

“What’re you doing in our town, Martha?” Dallas asked instead of answering her question.

“Oh, I’m just passing through!” Martha said, trying, and failing, to sound flippant. “On my way to a bigger city to the north.”

“Not a lot of people pass through here,” Dallas said. “We don’t even have an inn. Where are you staying?”

“Why should I tell you?” Martha asked, clearly getting defensive. “What’s your deal anyways?”

“Dallas, maybe you should calm down,” Jimothan said. He reached to put a hand on Dallas’s shoulder, but Dallas jerked away.

“What are you planning to do with that pistol you’ve got, Martha?” He asked.

Martha blanched. “Nothing special,” she said. “I just feel more comfortable with some protection.”

“Now hold on a minute,” Jimothan said. “I don’t allow weapons in my bar.”

“I’m not going to hurt anybody!” Martha said. “I just want a drink!”

“Well take the gun outside, or you’re not getting served,” Jimothan said.

“What’ve you people got against guns? I’m not gonna hurt anybody!” Martha shouted.

“Okay, this is getting a bit too dramatic!” Parsley said as he butted in. “Martha, was it? Well, Jimothan has the right to restrict weapons and other dangerous elements in his establishment. So I suggest…” Parsley trailed off when he saw how Martha was looking at him. She looked horrified. “What?”

“You’re dead,” she said, sounding terrified. “I… I know you’re dead.”

“What?” Parsley said. “I… what… what're you talking about?”

“I shot you,” Martha said. “You’re dead… I left your body in that lake.”

The entire bar broke into chaos in a split second. 

Jimothan leapt across the bar to reach for Martha’s throat, while Dallas pushed past Parsley to try and punch her in the face. All the other patrons were on their feet in seconds, either trying to break up the fight, or join in. 

Martha was reaching for her gun, when Parsley screamed, “ENOUGH!” The bar went silent, and everyone turned to Parsley. “Why did you shoot me?” He asked Martha.

“I thought you were a demon,” she said, shoving Jimothan and Dallas off of her.

“I don’t know why you’re in this town if that’s your attitude towards monsters,” Parsley said. “Monsters founded this town, and it’s a safe haven for any and all kinds.”

“I know that,” Martha spat. “I came to get rid of them!”

“Well… I don’t think that’s going to work so well anymore,” Parsley said. “Word travels fast in a small town, and a lot of us know your intention now. If you think you can take on a whole town of monsters, by yourself, then fine, be my guest. But if I were you, I’d leave while I still had the chance.” Martha looked around at everyone else in the bar and made a quick exit when she saw all their glares.

The bar was silent for a few moments, before Jimothan broke the silence. “Sprig, are you-“

“I have to go,” Parsley interrupted. He grabbed Dallas by the wrist and began dragging him back home. 

Dallas went easily, trying to prepare himself for what he was sure would be a hard conversation. When Parsley had closed and locked the door behind them, he tried to say something to start them off. “Parsley, I-“

“I’m dead,” Parsley said, halfway between a question and a statement.

Dallas nodded. “You’re dead,” he mumbled.

“How long have I been dead?” Parsley asked.

“About six months,” Dallas replied. Parsley nodded. He went to sit in one of their armchairs, and Dallas followed behind him. He didn’t sit down, just stood beside the armchair. “Parsley, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you, and-“

“I’m a ghost, then?” Parsley asked, interrupting Dallas.

“Yes,” Dallas whispered.

“So… so how long do I have here?” Parsley asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” Dallas replied. “It seems to vary from case to case. That’s part of why I didn’t tell you. I… I didn’t want you to find out and… and disappear.” 

Parsley didn’t reply. Dallas watched him silently, afraid that he’d disappear at any moment. Instead, Parsley sobbed. “I can’t believe,” he mumbled, “that I died.” He sobbed again and buried his face in his hands. “We had so much ahead of us, Dallas. I was going to ask you to marry me, and… and I wanted to have a kid with you, and I wanted to grow old with you. And now… now it’s never going to happen. Because we don’t know when I’ll be gone, and I don’t know if we could even do some of that anymore, and…” Parsley dissolved into a crying mess.

Dallas knelt down beside the armchair and held Parsley’s face. Parsley moved his own hands to wrap his arms around Dallas’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Parsley,” Dallas whispered. “I’m so, so sorry.”

The two of them sat in their living room and cried together. When all their tears had been shed and there was nothing left to do but sleep, Dallas carefully picked Parsley up and carried him to their bedroom. Parsley clung to him, and refused to let go, even to let him change for bed. The two of them drifted off, both afraid that Parsley would be gone in the morning.

* * *

“You know,” Dallas said over breakfast the next morning, “I don’t see why this has to change anything.”

Parsley looked at him like he was insane. “What are you talking about? This changes everything! I could disappear at any moment!”

“That was true when you were alive, too,” Dallas said. “You never know when you might have a heart attack, or a stroke, or fall in the ocean and drown, or anything similar.” He reached across the table for Parsley’s hand, and Parsley took his. “Maybe it’s more of a risk now, but… but I don’t see why we should stop living our lives the way we want to. If anything, we should do more things the way we want to. So… so if you are gone someday, we don’t have anything we missed.”

Parsley was quiet for a long moment, before he nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered hoarsely. “You’re right.” He brought Dallas’s hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles gently. “What do you want to start with?” He murmured.

“Well… I lost the ring when they buried your body with it, but…” Dallas got down on one knee, still holding Parsley’s hand. “Will you marry me?”

Parsley smiled and knelt down beside Dallas. “Yes,” he whispered, “of course.” He held Dallas gently and Dallas held him in return.

Even if Parsley’s skin was cold as ice, he made Dallas’s heart feel so, so warm.


End file.
